Wisconsin Sports Headlines - 5/18/2020

(Darlington, SC) -- Wisconsin native Matt Kenseth has returned to NASCAR racing with a 10th-place finish in the Darlington 400. Kevin Harvick won the first race which was run in front of empty stands at the historic track Sunday. Kenseth hadn’t raced since 2018. He was hired by Chip Ganassi Racing to take the place of Kyle Larson who was fired for using a racial slur last month. The Cambridge native's career got its start in 1998. NASCAR has granted him a waiver for eligibility in this year’s playoffs.

>>UW-Green Bay Searching For Coach After Firing Darner

(Green Bay, WI) -- The University of Wisconsin-Green Bay pulled a surprise move by firing head basketball coach Linc Darner after five seasons. The Phoenix went 92-and-80 under Darner, making the N-C-A-A tournament in 2016 for the first time in two decades. If the school fired him due to performance it will owe Darner more than one million dollars. That part of his contract would be voided if he was fired “with cause” – such a break an NCAA rule. One source reports Darner and his assistants were “completely blindsided” by the change.

>>New Beloit Baseball Stadium Should Be Ready For 2021 Season

(Beloit, WI) -- Members of the Riverbend Stadium Authority say they expect Beloit’s new state-of-the-art baseball stadium to be ready for the 2021 season. It will have an artificial turf field, a grandstand and an indoor club space big enough for 300 people that can be used year-round. Groundbreaking will be next month. Local officials started planning on a way to keep the Beloit Snappers and professional baseball in the area when Major League Baseball said upgrades were needed. The stadium will be next to City Hall along the Rock River.

(Green Bay, WI) -- Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers says he understands why his team took Utah State quarterback Jordan Love with its first-round draft pick. Rodgers says he was surprised but expects to have a great relationship with Love. In a conference call with reporters, Rodgers conceded the Packers drafting a quarterback might change his career plans. The 36-year-old athlete has repeatedly said he’d like to finish his career in Green Bay. Now, he says that is out of his control.

>>Fishing Resurgent During COVID-19

(Madison, WI) -- Fishing is enjoying a resurgence during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources reports it has sold 100 thousand more fishing licenses this year than it did in 2019. It is easy to practice social distancing while fishing on a creekbank or in a boat. With more than 15 thousand lakes in Wisconsin there are plenty of opportunities. The DNR points out – fishing can also have a positive impact on a person’s mental health.